Sobar has managed to create a niche of relative coolness in a modern bar and restaurant complex. Whatever next?

The Venue
Sobar is managed by Floyd King (not to be confused with King Floyd of ‘Groove Me’ fame) who used to run Revolution in Clapham and is now in charge of this cool, contemporary venue. There’s a bijou patio outside enclosed by a wooden screen with white moulded plastic chairs to sit on at round tables as well as plants and a mini waterfall — a face of sloping slate with water flowing over it.

Inside it’s quite spacious with blue spotlights in the ceiling and mirrors behind the bar which is illuminated with bright light yellow strips along the front. There are big cream lampshades over the bar too and about 20 tables scattered around but there's still lots of space for mixing and mingling.

The upstairs VIP room, the Kaijo Lounge, is spectacular. It’s low-lit and there are red spotlights in the ceiling, mirrored square pillars, a wooden bar and low, shiny, mirrored square tables. The whole of one wall is covered by an illuminated night-time cityscape. The music here oscillates between Latin, soul, jazz and funk.

The People
The barely-out-of-their-teens bunch don't come here. It's more of a discerning crowd at Sobar and they're a style concious lot. It’s a popular pre-club venue at the weekend when it’s a bit more of a free-for-all but generally expect a slightly more sophisticated crowd than the Barcardi Breezer guzzling masses.

The Food and Drink
A cocktail list is being introduced imminently but for now there's Carlsberg, Poretti, Guinness, Heineken on tap and there’s a good range in bottles too. There are half a dozen bottles of white wine and four reds, ranging from around £12 to around £18, including a Melbourne Lounge Chardonnay Pinot Grigio for £16.50. Or, if you've more money then sense, get a bottle of Cristal for £300. Oh, and let us know when you're going.

The food menu seems like a mix of everything with dishes including jerk chicken and rice, chilli with nachoes, olives and feta cheese and teriyaki salmon. Dishes are around the £5 to £7 mark.

The Last Word
A slice of contemporary cool in a bar and cafe complex. Stranger things have happened.

venue information venue map view birmingham review user reviews (2) image gallery (5) what's on